To teach Perl is a difficult chore. Perl is so flexible, that most people have many different ways to do everything. Just look at the golfing that goes on around here. My suggestion is to not underestimate this individual. The CS students who work for me (granted this is before they have their degree) at the university, have dabbled in enough languages that after about their third to fourth language, they start to realize that the syntax isn't as important as the logic, planning, and understanding the 'vocabulary' of the language you need to write with.

I agree with what everyone else has said so far (BTW: ++@_) and I'd like to add just a couple of thoughts.

• Spend about an hour covering the basics of Perl (syntax, the variables, module concepts, etc.)
• Assign a project that will be small, challenging, and in the general direction of where you need to go with your projects.
• You are going to have to allow this person some time to learn, and if you're committed to doing that, then I suggest that you request that the person get an account on Perl Monks. I dabbled in Perl and fought though some of the books, but until I started to participate in Perl Monks, I didn't quite understand the full caliber of Perl. Perl Monks has a large base of users, information, examples, and is just as valuable to me as any book or document. When I'm stuck, I read the books first, and then go to Perl Monks.

I wouldn't be too worried about this person picking up Perl. Just make it clear that, "In this office, we use Perl. Learn it." They will thank you for it later.

- Mission